The European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) has released a Manifesto for Adult Learning in the 21st Century, which proposes a creation of a Learning Europe: a Europe that is able to tackle the future positively and with all necessary skills, knowledge and competences. This demands sustainable investments now on the European, national, regional and local levels in adult education.

Adult education can help change lives and transform societies – it is a human right and common good. This Manifesto outlines how much adult education can contribute to a number of European policies. However, in order to do so, solid public investments in adult education organisations and learners need to be made.

Many decision-makers, businesses and citizens are not aware of the extent to which adult education can help deal with societal, economic and individual challenges. The EAEA wants to therefore underline the transformative possibilities of adult education on the one hand and, on the other hand, the positive experience of learning.

In this publication, EAEA presents arguments, studies, examples and learners’ stories that will illustrate their position and vision for the future - innovative, more equal, sustainable Europe in which the citizens participate democratically and actively, where people have the skills and knowledge to live and work healthily and productively and take part in cultural and civic activities from a very young to a very old age.

For more information, please access the Manifesto for Adult Learning in the 21st Century.